US Judge Orders Release of Detained Palestinian Rights Advocate

US District Judge James Patrick Hanlon has ordered the release of Salah Sarsour, a Muslim leader who claims he was detained by immigration authorities due to his advocacy for Palestine. On Thursday, Judge Hanlon ruled that Sarsour had raised a “substantial” claim that his detention was a form of retaliation for his speech protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The judge’s decision also dismissed claims made by President Donald Trump that pro-Palestinian speech undermines US foreign policy interests. According to Judge Hanlon, the mere invocation of foreign relations concerns does not automatically trump First Amendment rights.

Sarsour, a legal permanent resident in the US, was released several hours after the decision. In a statement, he expressed relief and gratitude for the ruling, stating that it allowed him to reunite with his family.

Sarsour’s detention began on March 31, when his car was pulled over by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was subsequently transferred to a detention facility in Indiana, pending his removal from the country. The Department of Homeland Security had accused Sarsour of lying on his green card application and failing to disclose a conviction by an Israeli military court.

Sarsour has denied the allegations and has no criminal record in the US. Rights groups have noted that such allegations are frequently used against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, where the Israeli military court system convicts Palestinians at a rate of nearly 100 percent.

Judge Hanlon also questioned why the Trump administration suddenly considered Sarsour a threat after more than three decades in the US. He ordered Sarsour to be returned to Wisconsin from Indiana so that he could stay at home while his case proceeds.

Sarsour’s lawyers stated that he lost over 30 pounds during his nearly three months in detention due to health issues related to type two diabetes.

Source: Al Jazeera